Updates September 2008

• 9/27/08 - **EVENT**  - Two Events - Sierra Club Tackles Water Privatization Issue - Two Important Events | What if you lived by the largest body of fresh water in the world but could no longer afford to use it? Residents of Highland Park, Michigan – known as the birthplace of the auto industry – have received water bills as high as $10,000. They have had their water turned off, their homes foreclosed and their children taken away by social services. Now they are struggling to keep water, a basic human right, from becoming privatized! FIRST EVENT: FILM RELEASE: “The Water Front” Shows Local Fight for Water Access Location: The Little Theatre – Theatre #3 Date: Wednesday, October 15, 2008 Time: 7:00 PM to 8:45 PM https://www.thelittle.org/moviePage.php?filmID=798  - Check the listing at the Little Theatre. 53-minute film followed by a panel discussion: Marian Kramer (Michigan Welfare Rights Organization), Ann Howard (RIT Professor, Department of Science, Technology & Society, Public Policy and Environmental Science Programs) and Wayne Howard (Chair, Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter Great Lakes Committee) SECOND EVENT: RADIO SHOW: WXXI’s 1370 Connection with Bob Smith October 15th at 1:00 PM: 1370 AM and City 12 Cable Our panel will discuss The Water Front and the issue of water privatization. The Water Front follows one woman’s struggle to organize a grassroots campaign to keep her home and defend affordable water as a basic human right. This fall, The Water Front will screen in forty cities around the Great Lakes region, from New York to Rochester to Minneapolis, to encourage communities to ask questions about their own water sources. “The Water Front is about water, but it also touches on the very essence of our democratic system,” said Liz Miller, the film’s director. “The film presents a community in crisis but it also presents the powerful enactment of local participation in finding solutions to the problems of our times.” Both events sponsored by the Great Lakes Committee of the Rochester Regional Group Sierra Club http://newyork.sierraclub.org/rochester/  and Food & Water Watch. Film captioned and interpreter provided for the hearing impaired. For more information see www.waterfrontmovie.com  or www.foodandwaterwatch.org/water/films/the-water-front .
• 9/30/08 - Another way to live healthier is to sign up for an e-mail that offers a tip each day on living healthier. Ideal Bite - Bite-sized ideas for light green living - Green living tips made fun and easy, green consumer, organic food and clothing, eco-friendly, ecologically sustainable, recycling and more! Ideal Bite offers bite-sized ideas for light green living. Welcome! We know that you would just love to "do the right thing" for yourself and the planet if it were convenient, fun, inexpensive, and made you feel good. But until now you have lacked a good source of advice for real people leading busy lives.
• 9/28/08 - Finding ways to motivate students and other to recycling is always a good thing.  Check out this site: Recyclemania "RecycleMania is a friendly competition and benchmarking tool for college and university recycling programs to promote waste reduction activities to their campus communities. Over a 10-week period, schools report recycling and trash data which are then ranked according to who collects the largest amount of recyclables per capita, the largest amount of total recyclables, the least amount of trash per capita, or have the highest recycling rate. With each week’s reports and rankings, participating schools watch how their results fluctuate against other schools and use this to rally their campus communities to reduce and recycle more. "
• 9/28/08 - Learn about the Great Lakes: TEACH Great Lakes "Are you interested in learning more about the Great Lakes? Start your exploration with an Introduction to the Great Lakes. Do you have a specific question about the Great Lakes that you've been wondering about? Visit the Great Lakes Vault of Knowledge to submit questions and get answers."
• 9/28/08 - Good group Doing Good Things for our major Wetland: Friends of the Montezuma Wetlands Complex "The Montezuma Wetlands Complex (MWC) Project is an effort by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, and Ducks Unlimited, Inc. to protect, restore and enhance wildlife habitat. It encompasses approximately 50,000 acres (20,242 hectares) in Seneca, Cayuga and Wayne counties in upstate New York and includes the federal Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge, the state Northern Montezuma Wildlife Management Area, and lands owned by conservation groups, farmers, and other private landowners. Public lands and some private land are managed to provide habitat for wildlife and recreation and education for people."
• 9/27/08 - Doing the Right Thing can be (and often is) tedious and inconvenient.  In a perfect world everything good would be easy and expedient, but we are far from that world of “Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded” by Samuel Richardson, where “this is the best of all possible worlds.”  If it was the best of all possible worlds, we’d use what pharmaceutical medicine we needed and that would be that.  But, in the real world, there are times when we no longer need these medications and we have to get rid of them so that they don’t go into our environment (via the sewage) and profoundly affect it.  You cannot just junk this stuff anywhere.  And, you can’t, like some recycling events, have any organization collect this stuff for you and make sure that it is properly disposed of—the law requires that officials oversee any such procedure.  Hey, they’re drugs.  So, what are you going to do?  The answer is events like this one, where it’s easy to dispose of those pharmaceuticals you have stored by taking it to this proper outlet: Pharmaceutical waste collection - News- msnbc.com Monroe County's Department of Environmental Services, the Monroe County Sheriff's Department, New York State Police and Wegmans have partnered to hold a pharmaceutical waste collection. A collection will be held at the Monroe County Rochester Operations Center at 444 East Henrietta Road on Thursday, October 2, 2008 from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. (Sept 27, 08) MSNBC - WHEC-TV
• 9/27/08 - **EVENT**  -Odyssey Day 2008 National Alternative Fuel Vehicle Day 􀃋 INVITATION 􀃋 October 3, 2008 10a.m-2p.m. Hosted by: Genesee Region Clean Communities (GRCC) Monroe County Golisano Institute for Sustainability at RIT Highlights Include: • Hydrogen Vehicle Displays and Demos • Hydrogen Fueling Demonstration • Green Fueling Station Demonstration and Tour • AFV displays including hybrid-electric, Flexfuel, hydrogen, fuel cell and biodiesel vehicles • Alternative Fuel and Vehicle Research Displays • Green Vehicle Parade To RSVP or for additional information contact: • David Keefe, dkeefe@grcc.us  • Mark Coleman, mccasp@rit.edu  or • Mel Rose, MRose@monroecounty.gov
• 9/25/08 - DISCUSSION -  It Ain’t Over ‘Till It’s Over: Rochester and Monroe County receive a coveted “Honorable Mention” Bicycle Friendly Award and it shows our community cares about people getting our city safely on non-polluting transportation.  Hopefully, winning this award, which brings together the efforts of the City of Rochester, the County of Monroe, the NYS Department of Transportation, The Genesee Transportation Council, and the Rochester Bicycling Club and others to improve our streets for an environmentally safe mode of transportation.  New innovations on bike technology, a change in the public’s attitude towards sharing the roads for bikes (and pedestrians who ((in terms of the law –Rule!)) , and linking trails to commutes could make bicycling to work and even shopping an integral way of life in Rochester—a way of life that reduces our carbon footprints, makes us healthier, and changes our gas-guzzling, myopic, view of transportation towards a more friendly and livable way of getting around.  Big goal, but it can be done.  Next year, maybe the bronze, or the Silver, or even the Gold if we think of traveling around sustainably. Check out this story:  Rochester City & Monroe County, N.Y. Win "Honorable Mention" Bicycle Friendly Community Designation - Boulder Goes Platinum; 10 New Communities Earn Designation Biggest Round of Applications Since Program's Inception Ten new communities were honored with the League of American Bicyclists prestigious Bicycle Friendly Community designation. This was the program’s biggest application cycle to date—51 communities applied for the designation. There are one gold, one silver and eight bronze communities awarded, and 19 communities renewed their designations. Boulder, Colo., a renewing community, was promoted to Platinum, joining Portland, Ore. and Davis, Calif. as the only cities in the U.S. to have earned this top designation. --from League of American Bicyclists
• 9/25/08 - - **ACTION**  - Get state monies for your group to remove invasive species.  Get the grant by October 31, 2008. Spruce up that Urban Forest in your neighborhood or that community park next door and get what little environment we have left working. Terrestrial Invasive Species Eradication Grant Program - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation Program Summary The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) will provide State assistance funding through reimbursement for projects to eradicate terrestrial species identified as being invasive within the boundaries of New York State. Acceptable projects are proposals to kill and/or permanently remove plants or animals that meet the definition of terrestrial invasive species. A list of species is included in the grant application and instructions booklet.
• 9/25/08 - The Great Experiment - Are you familiar with the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). New York State, along with ten other state, is shaping US and maybe the world’s policy towards curbing green house gases.  This is “boots on the ground” environmental measures by real states in a real country working with real business to curb a real problem. It will: “…sell emission allowances through auctions and invest proceeds in consumer benefits: energy efficiency, renewable energy, and other clean energy technologies. RGGI will spur innovation in the clean energy economy and create green jobs in each state.”  The initiative could be the model for how we made real change in a global environmental problem |Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) CO2 Budget Trading Program  "The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) is the first mandatory, market-based effort in the United States to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Ten Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic states will cap and then reduce CO2 emissions from the power sector 10% by 2018."
• 9/24/08 - **EVENT**  - World-renowned Philosopher and Bioethics Authority Visits RIT, Oct. 3 University of Melbourne professor laureate will discuss sustainability  Peter Singer, author of Animal Liberation, will visit Rochester Institute of Technology next month to discuss “A Better, More Sustainable World.” The lecture—free and open to the public—will be held in the B. Thomas Golisano College of Computing & Information Sciences auditorium at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 3. The one-hour lecture will be followed by a 30-minute Q-and-A session. Australian born Singer is recognized worldwide for his controversial consideration of philosophical topics regarding poverty, environmental ethics, sustainability and globalization. His many writings and lectures involve practical application of ethics that pertain to everyday life as well as the future of science and technology. His books include Practical Ethics, A Darwinian Left: Politics, Evolution and Cooperation, Writings on an Ethical Life and Rethinking Life and Death. Singer’s writings cover topics such as poverty, abortion, genetic engineering, euthanasia, and collateral damage on the battlefield. He contributes monthly to Project Syndicate, an association of newspapers around the world.
• 9/24/08 - DISCUSSION -  The Wrong Thing. - This story is so profoundly awful that I'm left speechless on its short-term idiocy.  Our government has failed us yet again.  Lifting the ban on off-shore drilling, instead of renewing the tax incentives on renewable (solar and wind) energy is so incredibly shortsighted and unsustainable it matches the destruction of the forests on Easter Island, leaving the island nation almost uninhabitable by humans.  So here we are, because gas prices have gone up and the oil companies have sought so successfully to paint themselves as safe and green in the media, the public and the democrats have caved in to what they know is our last chance to turn our energy policies around and fight Global Warming.  We charge headlong past another point of no return in getting our climate under control (the last one was in the 1970’s, where man-made climate change could have been halted altogether) and open ourselves to oil spills, more profits for oil companies and more air pollution, and more big polluting vehicles on the road because there’s no incentive (except common sense and education) to change wholesale how we get our energy.  What if, instead of this total capitulation to the oil companies, we had decided to restructure our electrical grid so that it could move power to where it is needed, so extended the capability of the grid so that wind power generators all over this continent would supply electricity because there would always be wind blowing somewhere and be able to put online all sorts of energy supplied by homeowners using solar and wind and other renewable energy sources?  But, we won’t now because the oil companies have convinced most that drilling and putting our waters and climate in continual danger will keep them rich and solvent and you too—but maybe not your children.  What do you think will be the legacy of our generation’s actions towards deregulating our economy and allowing corporation to run roughshod over our environment?  I’m afraid the next generation is going to be strapped with massive debt, and a very polluted world and perhaps like our generation when they start panicking like we are now, they’ll do the wrong thing, like we are doing, and find something very short-sighted and destructive to do—like wholesale drilling offshore for some quick-fix that will leave their future generations even more strapped.  It’s what we do when something goes wrong in America: the wrong thing.   Check it out: The Associated Press: Democrats to let offshore drilling ban expire: "WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats have decided to allow a quarter-century ban on drilling for oil off the Atlantic and Pacific coasts to expire next week, conceding defeat in an month-long battle with the White House and Republicans set off by $4 a gallon gasoline prices this summer."
• 9/24/08 - I recommend this great overview of our environment from CNN.com "Planet in Peril" Planet in Peril: Environmental Coverage - Special Reports from CNN.com Very Internet user friendly and filled with all the bells and whistles of the web, this site gives you a good rundown of the environmental issues plaguing our planet. Check it out.
• 9/23/30 - **EVENT**  -  CEI:Community Salute to the Environment Dr. Thomas E. Drennen Sandia National Laboratories Hobart and William Smith Colleges TOPIC: Hydrogen - Fuel for Thought Tuesday, October 7, 2008 Hyatt Regency Hotel 125 East Main Street, Rochester, NY 6:00 PM Reception, 7:00 PM Dinner HONOREE: Liz Thordike Environmental Leadership Award --from CEI: Center for Environmental Information
• 9/23/30 - **EVENT**  -  “The Road Less Traveled: Celebrating Lives of Peace, Service, and Social Activism” Mark Your Calendars! Join us at 7:00 pm on Thursday, October 30 at St. John Fisher College for “The Road Less Traveled: Celebrating Lives of Peace, Service, and Social Activism.” Hosted by the Peace and Social Justice Program, the Alumni Office, and the Office of Community Service, the evening will feature presentation of the Jennifer Koon Courage Awards, the Peace and Social Justice Spirit Award, which honors a Fisher graduate, and the Reverend Joseph A. Trovato Lecture. The Reverend Joseph A. Trovato Lecture “The World Wide WE: Discovering Our Power to Create Social Change” This year’s Trovato lecture will be given by Kim Ridley, a noted journalist and editor who writes about ordinary folks creating positive social change. Kim is the former editor of Hope, a national magazine that for nine years reported on people making a positive difference, and co-editor of the book Signs of Hope: In Praise of Ordinary Heroes. She is a contributing editor to Ode, an international magazine about people and ideas that are changing the world, and former editor-at-large for Bioneers, a national nonprofit that focuses on practical solutions to urgent environmental and social problems. Her freelance articles have appeared in publications including The Boston Globe, The Harvard Public Health Review, Down East Magazine and MIT’s Technology Review and online on AlterNet.org and Beliefnet.com. A science writer by training, Kim also frequently writes about the links between human and environmental health. She finds inspiration for her work in the deep intelligence of nature; the integrity and elegance of living systems; and the creativity, courage and brilliance of ordinary people working together to help solve some of our world’s most pressing problems.
• 9/23/30 - **EVENT**  -  OCTOBER 2nd, 2008 ~ Thursday | Anthony Marr: "GLOBAL WARMING and MASS EXTINCTION" * 7:00pm ... * Brighton Town Hall AUDITORIUM - 2300 Elmwood Ave, Rochester NY 14618 - wheelchair access rear entrance * FREE * Open to the Public | Environmentalist, international wildlife preservationist, lecturer, author Anthony Marr will address Global Warming: its affects on animals-humans-earth. Q&A to follow his presentation. "The earth has a planetary fever ... and it's called Global Warming". A.Marr | Marr recently published his second book, Homo Sapiens! Save Your Earth. Books will be available for sale and booksigning. | Anthony Marr was born and raised in China, and currently resides in Vancouver, Canada. He earned a physics degree from University of British Columbia, and has worked as a field geophysicist and environmental technologist. | He is currently on his 6th annual (5 month) CARE-tour, covering Canada and the USA. Heal Our Planet Earth - Compassion for Animals Road Expedition: www.HOPE-CARE.org . |10/2/08 is World Farm Animals Day ( http://wfad.org/  ). 10/2/08 is also Gandhi's birthday. |On 10/2/08, all are invited to hear Anthony Marr on Global Warming, and what we can do to help stop it. |~ Sponsored by Animal Rights Advocates of Upstate NY ~ www.ARAUNY.org  | According to U.N. Food and Agriculture, animals purpose-bred for human-use/eating generate more greenhouse gas emissions than transport. www.BiteGlobalWarming.org
• 9/23/08 - Here's another reason why you should trust your municipalities drinking water: Living on Earth: BPA Update "Bisphenol A, a chemical used in the lining of canned goods and in plastic baby bottles and many water bottles, has come under fire recently as a growing body of scientific evidence shows that the compound may be harmful to humans." --from Living on Earth: Sound Journalism for the Whole Planet  Oh, about your drinking water, check out Bottled Water - Corporate Water Privatization - Sierra Club "Many people think bottled water is safer than tap water. There is no such guarantee. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has strict water quality standards for tap water, but the EPA does not oversee bottled water. Bottled water sold across state lines is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA interprets EPA clean drinking water regulations and applies them selectively to bottled water. While the FDA requires water sources to be “inspected, sampled, analyzed and approved,” it only has one inspector so the industry does the inspecting. Nor do the FDA regulations prevent bottling companies from drawing water next to industrial sites, underground storage tanks, or dumps. "
• 9/21/30 - **EVENT**  - THIRD ANNUAL NEW YORK STATE HEALING OUR WATERS COALITION GREAT LAKES CONFERENCE - NY’s Great Lakes Communities: Leadership and Action for Healthy Lakes, Healthy Lives - Saturday, October 4, 2008 Rochester Port Terminal 9:00 am—4:00 pm - Please visit www.citizenscampaign.org/glconference  for registration and to view the conference agenda. This conference is FREE and open to the public! Lake Ontario A once-in-a-generation opportunity exists to restore the health of our Great Lakes, and to give our children and their children healthy lakes. At the conference, activists, government representatives, and interested citizens can learn about important state and federal measures to protect and restore the lakes, as well as local initiatives to spur the green economy. Recognizing that Great Lakes restoration and protection is a key factor in revitalizing Upstate New York, we have provided space on the agenda to hear from individual candidates seeking to represent the 25th, 26th, and 29th district on their Great Lakes platform. Representative Louise Slaughter, co-chair of the Great Lakes Congressional Task Force, will deliver the keynote address. The 3rd Annual New York Healing Our Waters Conference is an excellent opportunity to build the momentum to protect and restore New York’s North Coast. Come to the Rochester Port Terminal and share your passion and ideas for Great Lakes restoration! Please note- if you plan to stay overnight, we have arranged for a block of rooms at the Clarion Riverside Hotel in downtown Rochester, for a special rate of $95 (plus tax). Visit www.citizenscampaign.org/glconference  for information on booking your hotel room. For additional information on the conference, contact Sarah Eckel at seckel@citizenscampaign.org  or (315) 472-1339. Thank you for joining us. We hope to see you at the conference! Sincerely, YOUR FRIENDS AT CCE - Water Protection Public Health Energy Renewable Policy Toxic Wildlife Chemical Contamination Subscribe Newsletter Jobs Calendar Pollution Air Quality Advocacy Farmingdale White Plains Albany Syracuse Buffalo
• 9/21/30 - **EVENT**  - The Federation of Monroe County Environmentalists is holding its second in series of forums on energy, MONDAY, OCT 6 AT 7 PM AT THE BRIGHTON TOWN HALL AUDITORIUM. - Bill LaBine, Renewagle Energy Works, long-time community leader in this field, will demonstrate our present fuel graph, how we got here and how we might get out of the crisis. Join us for "OUR ENERGY FUTURE: WE CAN'T PUMP OUR WAY OUT OF THE CRISIS". Doors open at 6:30 pm. Since we had a "full house" for the first forum on biofuels, we encourage people to pre-register for this free forum at info@fmce.org .

• 9/20/08 - Just a short ride from Rochester, you can visit some amazing places to learn about Earth’s environment.  First off, my wife and I stopped at The Museum of the Earth, which opened to the public on September 27, 2003.  You can find it at: “1259 Trumansburg Road • Ithaca, NY 14850 • phone: 607-273-6623 • fax: 607-273-6620.”  Check it out and get a close look at how our particular slice of the place got formed, why we look the way we look, and a glimpse of what it will take to keep our area healthy.  Then we went to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology 159 Sapsucker Woods Rd. Ithaca, NY 14850.  This is a world renown source for information about birds.  And, birds (besides being fascinating on their own.) tell us much about the health of our own environment.  At the lab, find out about many resources about birds, including All About Birds and eBird “A real-time, online checklist program, eBird has revolutionized the way that the birding community reports and accesses information about birds. Launched in 2002 by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon Society, eBird provides rich data sources for basic information on bird abundance and distribution at a variety of spatial and temporal scales.”

• 9/20/30 - **EVENT**  - The 2008 Green Buildings Open House will take place Saturday, October 4, 2008 - 10am-4pm - Homes in and around the Rochester New York area you can visit --from Rochester Solar Technologies LLC. | Rochester Solar Technologies

• 9/13/08 -Trying to think of ways to help our environment?  Why not check out the governor’s new site for volunteering?  Type in your zip code, check off helping our environment and there you are. New Yorkers Volunteer    "Welcome to the New Yorkers Volunteer website! This interactive site is designed to help you find opportunities to volunteer across the State and to enhance the recruitment capabilities for so many of New York’s community organizations."

• 9/13/08 - **EVENT**  -  Monday 9/15  - 12 PM - Dr. Esther Maltese and Dr. David Broadbent; an update on progress against lead poisoning in Rochester - WXXI Radio: 1370 Connection
• 9/13/08 - -**EVENT**  - Combined Heat & Power Conference - Elements  The Combined Heat and Power Conference is brought to you by the Rochester Green Business Network, a program of the Center for Environmental Information, and is generously hosted by the Golisano Institute for Sustainability at RIT. | Monday, October 20, 2008 | 8:30am to 4:00pm | RIT Golisano Institute for Sustainability -Combined Heat and Power is a technology that is growing in importance because it can save large amounts of energy needed to heat and power buildings, resulting in lower greenhouse gas emissions and lower energy bills. This event will begin with an overview of the topic from the Department of Energy-sponsored Northeast CHP Application Center and NYSERDA, followed by equipment presentations from manufacturer representatives. In the afternoon session, there will be case studies from around the Rochester area, and a panel discussion with people who actually own and operate combined heat and power equipment in the area. There will be ample opportunity for questions from the audience.
• 9/13/08 - -**EVENT**  - Some, like environmentalists, feel the need to get people to do the right thing.  What’s with that?  Find out.  Check out The Dryden Theatre -- Human Spirit Series "Within each of us is the power to affect positive changes in the lives of people closest to us and within our communities. We can also influence our culture and the greater world around us. Certain films can help us to see, hear, and feel such power within us and inspire us to make a difference." - from The Dryden Theatre
• 9/13, 08 - Recycling those computers, maybe Rochester can do something like this: computer & electronics recycling event every 2 weeks, in Dallas Saturday Sale - 1st Saturday & 3rd Saturday Computer Shows --this info from www.Project-HOUSE.us 
• 9/13, 08 - You don't have to take my word for it, New York State will be affected by Global Warming: Check out that the NYS Attorney General says: "Fighting Global Warming How Global Warming Threatens New York | Global warming is one of the most important challenges of our time, and presents an acute threat to New York's environment, public health and economy. Some of the grave impacts that unchecked global warming could have on our state include: More Heat - By the end of this century, summertime temperatures in New York may increase by up to 14 degrees Fahrenheit B making our summers feel like those of South Carolina. This more intense and prolonged summer heat could result increased heat-related illnesses, especially in our cities. In New York City, for example, it is estimated that a one degree Fahrenheit increase in average temperatures could more than double heat-related deaths. Higher temperature could also increase smog and the respiratory diseases it causes, especially among children, the elderly, and New Yorkers with existing breathing difficulties. Further, hotter conditions favor the introduction and spread of insect-borne diseases, including Lyme Disease, Equine Encephalitis, and West Nile Virus." --from HOME - OFFICE OF THE NEW YORK STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL ANDREW M. CUOMO
• 9/10/08 - -**EVENT**  - Free Seminar to Discuss Impact of Environmental Factors on Fertility | Experts at the Strong Fertility Center will present the latest information on environmental exposures and fertility at a free seminar at 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 25, at The Women’s Health Pavilion, 500 Red Creek Drive in Henrietta. “Environmental Factors that Affect Female and Male Fertility” will be presented by Shanna H. Swan, Ph.D, an internationally acclaimed expert in the study of reproduction and environmental medicine. Swan is a professor and associate chair for research in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and director of the Center for Reproductive Epidemiology at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry. She has extensive experience investigating the effects of environmental agents on fertility and pregnancy. This free program is open to the public and registration is required. For more information, call (585) 487-3378. For more media inquiries, contact: Lori Barrette (585) 275-1310 lori_barrette@urmc.rochester.edu For Patient Information, contact: (585) 487-3378
• 9/12/08 - DISCUSSION - Drill, Baby, Drill? Do we really want to drill oil in the off-shore waters of the Untied States? Does the “Drill, Baby, Drill!” chant (at the Republican Convention) reflect a wise, long-term solution to “our nation’s addition to oil”—as President Bush put it? Or, is it one of those positions we used to take when we were five years old, where we wanted what we wanted it, when we wanted it, put our hands over our ears and wouldn’t listen to anything else?
• 9/10/08 - -**EVENT**  - NEW YORK GREEN BUILDINGS OPEN HOUSE, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2008 -10:00 am - 4:00 pm - See how your neighbors are reducing their carbon footprint and cutting their energy bills through the power of the sun, wind, and smart building design. On Saturday, October 4, the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association is welcoming the public to visit local sustainable homes and buildings throughout New York and the Northeast to see clean renewable energy at work. The Green Buildings Open House operates in conjunction with the American Solar Energy Society’s National Solar Tour. Homeowners and facility managers will be showing visitors the latest in renewable energy technologies, sustainable building materials, and energy efficient appliances. Take a local tour to learn how you, too, can save by going green. To find the Green Buildings Open House sites nearest you, visit www.nesea.org . Locations in the Rochester area include Brockport, Churchville, Victor, & Canandaigua.
• 9/10/08 - -**EVENT**  - Bill McKibben Environmental Writer, Educator, Activist. Scholar-in-Residence at Middlebury College Author of Deep Economy, official reading for RIT's first year students Presents: “Uniting Global and Local” When: Thursday, November 6, 2008 at 8:00 p.m., Where: Gordon Field House Co-sponsored by the Joan Rothenberg Family Foundation Colloquium on Bill McKibben When: Wednesday, October 22, 2008 at 2:00-4:00 p.m., Where: Golisano Auditorium (Building 70) Q&A on Deep Economy When: Thursday, November 6, 2008 at 3:00 p.m., Where: Golisano Auditorium (Building 70) --The Caroline Werner Gannett Project 2008-09
• 9/10/08 - The Low Carbon Diet Challenge: Rochester has the POWER to save Money, Energy and the Planet! Don't miss your chance to join Low Carbon Diet Program participants across the globe! Join with your neighbors and friends in this community-wide effort as neighborhood leaders empower people to take action against climate change. Teams are forming in the City of Rochester, Brighton, Irondequoit, Greece, Perinton and Scottsville/ Wheatland. Participants will be motivated by lively discussion and team building to take simple, effective measures that have a significant impact. The reduction in carbon dioxide emissions will be tallied, and Mayor Duffy will host the Cool Communities Grand Awards Celebration to recognize the collective accomplishments of all participants. Choose the workshop series most convenient to you, then attend the Grand Awards Celebration on November 18, 7 to 9 PM at City Hall. Refreshments will be provided by local businesses, and childcare will be available at some locations. Registration is required, and each participating individual or household/party will need a Low Carbon Diet Workbook. The books will be available for purchase for $12 at all of the sessions. Some municipalities may make copies available to their residents for free or at a reduced rate. For details and to register, see http://www.newyork.sierraclub.org/rochester/lcd.htm , call us 585-234-1056, or e-mail LowCarbonDietChallenge@hotmail.com .
• 9/09/08 - Fall is coming and the leaves will be falling.  What do you do with the leaves?  Ask the New York State Department of Conservation - "What to do with fall leaves - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation Choose one of these green options and help keep our air clean by not burning leaves" New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
• 9/09/08 - From Monroe County Director of Public Health: The Neighbor Notification Law for Homeowners | What you need to know before you applying pesticides to your lawn, trees, and shrubs. For more information or to report a possible violation, contact the Monroe County Department of Public Health at: (585) 753-PEST - mchealth@monroecounty.gov or www.monroecounty.gov
• 9/09/08 - Find out how to protect Rochester-area water quality: The Watershed: Home of the H2O Hero and your source for water education."What is the story behind H2O Hero? The Water Education Collaborative (WEC) set out to develop an awareness campaign that would educate the residents of the Genesee Valley watershed about the enormous impact they can have on the water quality in our area. WEC leaders teamed up with the Advertising Council of Rochester, a local nonprofit organization that creates awareness campaigns to address community-wide issues. The Ad Council pulled in a volunteer marketing team from SIGMA Marketing Group, and the rest is history."
• 9/08/08 - -**EVENT**  - Controlling Invasive Species – Some Experimental Results Invasive and other undesirable species are becoming more common in our environment – from beech brush taking over woodlots, to honeysuckle and multiflora rose in fields, to purple loosestrife in wetlands. Chemical treatments can be very effective, but can also have negative side effects on wildlife and desirable vegetation. On the other hand, mechanical removal of invasives is hard work, time consuming, and often not very effective. Dr. Peter Smallidge, New York State’s extension forester, and Paul Osborn, Genesee County Park supervisor, have been cooperating on some projects at Genesee County Park to test the effectiveness of alternative methods of controlling invasive plants in woodlots and fields. On 04 October, in cooperation with the New York Forest Owners’ Association, they will host a field trip at the Genesee County Park to explain some of these techniques and show the results they have achieved on some test plots in the park. Two techniques will be highlighted. The first is flame weeding, in which a torch is used to burn off undesirable vegetation. Flame weeding is a mechanical process that has the potential to be much less labor-intensive, and therefore more practical, than cutting or uprooting a large number of plants. Dr. Smallidge will demonstrate the torch and discuss when it is appropriate to use it. Participants will also have a chance to try the torch themselves. The other technique is herbicide cut-stump treatments. Some trees, such as beech, sprout from the roots of a large tree and so tend to form a thicket of saplings around a central mature tree. By cutting the central tree and treating the freshly-cut stump with herbicide, it is possible to kill many of the nearby saplings. This type of treatment allows the herbicide to be brushed on the stump so there is no overspray to contaminate nearby plants, and uses much less herbicide overall than if the individual saplings are treated with it. Dr. Smallidge and Mr. Osborn will show us some of the results they have had with this technique in the park. The event is free and open to the public, with no registration required. This should be an excellent opportunity to learn about the state of the art in control of invasive plants. There will be ample time for questions and discussion as well. Genesee County Park is in Bethany, just south of Batavia (see map). We will meet at the interpretive center for an initial discussion and demonstration of flame weeding, then move to Area E to see the state of the demonstration plots. Date: 04 October 2008 Time: 10:00 am – noon Location: Genesee County Park Interpretive Center | Further information: Mike Seager, (585) 414 6511 or seager_michael@yahoo.com | Genesee County Park and Forest Interpretive Center Address: 11095 Bethany Center Rd., E. Bethany, NY 14054
• 9/7/08 - WXXI Radio: 1370 Connection Friday 9/12 Hr. 1 [noon] A more sustainable world, examined by John Michael
• 9/7/08 - DISCUSSION -  Muzzling Little Engines - This story concerns one of those quite little stories you hear about once in awhile and if you don’t know the issue it can sound strange and fantastic.  The EPA forcing catalytic converters on small gas engines.  What’s with that?  Or, where did that come from?  We—meaning just about everyone--use these little engines in our boats and certainly in our mowers (though I personally have switched to a reel mower), but where did this pollution thing come from—are they serious? “There are more than 50 million pieces of lawn and garden equipment in use across the country today, and the Environmental Defense Fund, an advocacy group, said one riding lawn mower emits as much hourly pollution as about 34 cars.”  I have heard this story from an expert at a large forum on transportation.  Off-road vehicles, which include tractors, lawn mowers, etc., are responsible for a large percentage of our air pollution.  What amazes me is that the EPA is acting now to curb this problem.  Of course, it’s not a new problem, but the small engine industries are so dismissive and the public so unaware of this pollution source it convinced me that forcing catalytic converters on these small engine makers was not going to happen in my life time.  Where was the public outcry? Where were politicians yammering for pollution controls on our lawn mowers and leaf blowers?  That kind of public responsibility would have put them out of office.  I’m mean the EPA has been fighting science and common sense on environmental matters for the last seven years, so what got them to do the right thing on this quiet but major air pollution issue?  They could have just stonewalled it and asked for a zillion studies, pleaded a lack of funds, or just ignore it like they usually do and the public wouldn’t have been much the wiser.  In fact, the public still won’t be much the wiser that their environmental enforcement agency, The Environmental Protection Agency, issued a major anti-air pollution measure because most major media won’t even bother to run this story. They won’t run this story because no one told them how important it was, or the corporations that fund them also make small engines, or they don’t think the public will care because the home town sports team just clobbered the another home town sports team.  Whatever.  I simply get amazed when our governmental bodies move to curb corporate excesses without a major fight because it’s unusual.  Almost makes you think that no matter how dysfunctional our government and industry is on environmental matters, some people out there get it that our generation must stand up to environmental degradation because if we don’t…  Check this story out: EPA sets rules for lawn, boat engines Most non-road motors will be required to add catalytic converters to significantly reduce emissions. (Sept 5, 08) Detroit News Online | Detnews.com | Sunday, September 7, 2008 | News, sports, features, blogs, photos and forums from Detroit and across Michigan
• 9/6/08 - -**EVENT**  -Find out how Global Warming affects a specific area -  Environmental Challenges to the State of Israel: A talk by Professor Eric Pallant, Ph. D. | On October 19 Temple B'rith Kodesh's Climate Change Committee and Temple Sinai’s Environmental Task force are pleased to bring Professor Eric Pallant of Allegheny College to the The Jewish Community Center of Greater Rochester (JCC ) -1200 Edgewood Ave Rochester, NY 14618 (585) 461-3037 - Adult Lounge at 2:00 pm. Professor Pallant will present a talk entitled "Environmental Challenges to the State of Israel." Israel is under great pressure from Pollution and Global Warming. Water and Air pollution continue to erode the quality of life in Israel. As a result of Climate change, rainfall patterns are changing, forest fires increase, water management becomes more and more of an issue. Prof. Pallant will address these issues, and share with us some of the actions Israel has taken to address these changes. Further, Prof Pallant will explore ways that American Jews can get involved in supporting to manage these great challenges. |Dr. Pallant was Chair of Allegheny's Environmental Science Department from 1989 to 1998 and was creator and Director of the Center for Economic and Environmental / Development from 1997 to 2006. He has advised twenty colleges and universities with the development of environmental science, civic engagement, and service learning. He was a Fulbright Scholar in Israel in 2001-2002 and advised the President's Council for Sustainable Development in 1998-99. He has studied, taught, and promoted sustainability in Israel as well as in Ecuador, Costa Rica, Meadville, Pennsylvania, Ghana, and Armenia.
• 9/6/08 - -**EVENT**  -Rochester Roots Annual Dinner - September 13, 2008; 5:30pm -a benefit for the school-community garden project and future community kitchen |Join Rochester Roots for a dinner of delicious local food and an inspiring evening presentation. We will inform you of local progress in the development of our urban agriculture project and our plans for the future. Guest Speaker -BLEU CEASE - Executive Director / Curator - Rochester Contemporary Art Center - Speaking about: P.L.A.N.T. A joint initiative designed by George Eastman House and Rochester Contemporary Art Center. This initiative will illuminate, inform, inspire, and engage the community around the history, heritage, and current/ future importance of agriculture in Rochester. See below for more information. -Location - The Downtown United Presbyterian Church, 121 N. Fitzhugh St., 232-1463 -Parking -Parking is available in the City Hall parking lot across from The Downtown United Presbyterian Church.

• 9/06/08 - Great Lakes Sediment for Reuse: Recycling Dredged Material in the Great Lakes "This web site provides three different portals for getting information about sources of dredged material near you that can be used beneficially: 1) Frequently Asked Questions for general inquiries; 2) a MapFinder for getting detailed information on specific sediment locations around the Great Lakes; and 3) an Advanced Query that allows you to find material closest to you and that suits your needs. "

• 9/5/08 - -**EVENT**  -Want to turn a parking space into a park--or a farm--for a day? Then join George Eastman House, Rochester Contemporary Art Center, and ARTWalk for Rochester's participation in 2008 National Park(ing) Day--Friday, September 19. Intrigued? Go to this link for information and registration: www.eastmanhouse.org/parkingday  Deadline for submitting park(ing) plans is September 9! Please note that if you are considering parkifying a parking space in the public right-of-way (the street!), that you will have to file a special events permit with the City (easy!) and pay a $35 fee (bummer, but not too bad). See web link above for more details. Evan Michael Lowenstein Green Village Consulting 28 Arlington Street Rochester, New York 14607 585-461-0638 585-820-4068 mobile evan@greenvillage.us  www.greenvillage.us

• 9/05/08 - What is the state of our health in New York State and how do we compare with the other states? (Hint, we are the third highest for new cancer cases.) Health in New York  --from Trust for America's Health

• 9/04/08 - **ACTION**  -  I'm passing on this critical environmental action from the Sierra Club:  | Submit a comment to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Now! Just weeks ago, the Bush administration proposed radical changes to the Endangered Species Act that could severely harm wildlife that is already pushed to the brink of extinction. Submit a comment to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Now! In its proposed regulations, the Bush administration removes critical scientific oversight for federal projects that might impact species listed under the Endangered Species Act. Historically, independent government scientists at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service have been consulted on federal projects like highway construction and timber sales. Now, the Bush administration is trying to remove science from the equation and would create a conflict of interest scenario where federal agencies are allowed to determine themselves whether their actions could impact imperiled species. The Bush administration's proposal would also prevent the Endangered Species Act from considering the impacts of global warming emissions on endangered species. This cynical move comes despite overwhelming consensus in the scientific community that wildlife like the polar bear is threatened by habitat loss directly related to global warming. Thankfully, there is still time to make a difference. The Bush administration has opened a 30-day comment period for its proposal, so please take action and submit a comment to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service before September 15. Help us remind the Bush administration that now is the time to make the Endangered Species Act stronger, not weaker." 

• 9/03/08 - Global Warming teach-in, sounds interesting: National Teach-In :INDEX "On February 5th, 2009, The National Teach-In will again engage millions of Americans at thousands of campuses and other institutions in a dialogue about the clean energy transformation that can stop global warming and renew both the American economy and spirit. Once again, young people will engage national political leaders and other key decision-makers in critical face-to-face discussion about their future."

• 9/02/08 - Bicycle Friendly Rochester? | If Rochester, New York were really bicycle friendly, where you could ride to work or wherever you wanted to go, wouldn’t we look something like Toronto.  Check out how Toronto, a city only three hours away, has become a very bike-friendly place.  It could be a model for Rochester. City of Toronto: Cycling in Toronto, Bicycle Friendly Business Awards "Nominations are now being accepted for the 2008 Bicycle Friendly Business Awards. Consider honouring your local business or organization by recognizing their efforts to encourage cycling by customers and/or employees. The 2008 Bicycle Friendly Business Awards will be presented at a special ceremony in January 2009, in partnership with the Toronto Cyclists Union. " --from http://www.toronto.ca/favicon.ico

• 9/01/08 - Check out this new Green Business resource from our area: New York State Pollution Prevention Program (NYSP2I) The New York State Pollution Prevention Institute (NYSP2I) is headquartered at Rochester Institute of Technology(RIT) and is a partnership between RIT, Clarkson University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, University at Buffalo and the 10 NYS Regional Technology Development Centers. | New York State unveils new Pollution Prevention Institute ALBANY – State Environmental Conservation Commissioner Pete Grannis hosted an open house at Rochester Institute of Technology, showcasing the New York State Pollution Prevention Institute, also known as NYSP2I.  (Sept 1, 08) New York State News on the Net!

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